New Gold Wing for 2018 - finally

[Sheepdog]

Though it’s still too porky for me, I like the looks of this one...

[esmurrell]

This is an interesting bike.  Personally, I'm going to purchase a full on touring bike and am conflicted on which one to buy.  The options for me at the moment are;

Honda Goldwing
Yamaha Star Venture (Transcontinental)
Indian Roadmaster
Harley Road Glide Ultra

Either of these bikes will enable anyone to comfortably ride across country.  The question is which of them will make it the most fun.  I used to own a BMW K1600GTL and am ruling it out at the moment.  No matter which one I get, the Norge STAYS in the garage!  Based on what I see at the moment, I think the Goldwing might be the only one making the cut.  I'm curious what you guys think.

Eric

[LowRyter]

it looks like a great 2-up touring bike.  I think it looks like a better bike than the 6 cyl Beemer and all the Harley stuff.   I am never very impressed with the other Asian competitors. 

Lighter, more powerful, sorta like an ST with more room for a passenger + all the latest touring goodies.  And it has the REAL advantage of being a Honda. 

I really see no equal to it.

[John Ulrich]

Eric,

One way I look at it.  3 of those bikes are "open" bikes with the Wing "enclosed" in bodywork.  My take.... easier to clean.  The Indian might catch my vote but after 8 years with a 1800 Wing.  I'd try the new Wing.

[twowheeladdict]

This is an interesting bike.  Personally, I'm going to purchase a full on touring bike and am conflicted on which one to buy.  The options for me at the moment are;

Honda Goldwing
Yamaha Star Venture (Transcontinental)
Indian Roadmaster
Harley Road Glide Ultra

Either of these bikes will enable anyone to comfortably ride across country.  The question is which of them will make it the most fun.  I used to own a BMW K1600GTL and am ruling it out at the moment.  No matter which one I get, the Norge STAYS in the garage!  Based on what I see at the moment, I think the Goldwing might be the only one making the cut.  I'm curious what you guys think.

Eric

I personally could not get comfortable on the 1800 wing.  My first touring bike was a Yamaha xs750 with every touring option to include frame mounted fairing.  Followed by a Voyager XII, Voyager 1700, and now a Road Glide Ultra.  Loving the Road Glide Ultra.  The feature I love that many of the others don't have is the quick change docking hardware to configure the bike for the ride.

Sport touring, I started on a Ninja 650 with Givi V35 hard bags, then a Concours 1400, followed by a Triumph Trophy SE.  Dropped back to the Yamaha FZ07 with the Givi v35 hard bags.

If you can only have one bike, get the Honda.  I prefer twins over 4 or more cylinders myself.

[Arizona Wayne]

Maybe this has already been covered, but did you know it comes with either a 6 spd. manual tranny or a 7 spd. automatic ?  Has 4 valve head per 8 cyl.s and weighs 90# less than the 2017 model?  Cruises 75 mph @ 2,500 rpm?

[LowRyter]

We've run a thread on this before.  The engine is an opposed 6, not an 8.

[Arizona Wayne]

We've run a thread on this before.  The engine is an opposed 6, not an 8.

Correctomundo...... ..........brain fade. 

[kenvil1]

I'm curious what you guys think.

I don't know why you ruled out the K1600, but the new Grand America seems like an awesome ride. And speaking of BMW, the R1200RT is another world-class tourer.

[Darren Williams]

I don't know why you ruled out the K1600, but the new Grand America seems like an awesome ride. And speaking of BMW, the R1200RT is another world-class tourer.

I read where the K1600 Grand America is limited to 101 mph.  I was a bit surprised by that.

[kenvil1]

Honda Goldwing
Yamaha Star Venture (Transcontinental)
Indian Roadmaster
Harley Road Glide Ultra

If I were to choose a touring bike from your list, it would be either the Honda (Dual-clutch) or the Yamaha because of their ability to creep back and forth at a walking pace. It just seems so civilized, especially with two-up touring.

[LowRyter]

I read where the K1600 Grand America is limited to 101 mph.  I was a bit surprised by that.

feet forward controls on the GA.

[esmurrell]

Guys,

With respect to the newly announced K1600B Grand America, it is now on my list.  Regarding the R1200RT, I own one now and will be selling it as soon as the weather warms up in the Spring.  Call me a dud but I want the heavier full on touring mount.  I don't like the artificial speed limit on the new K1600 Grand America but it is on my list now.  Probably tied for 1st with the new Goldwing.  Time will tell (along with demo rides) which one I will ultimately go for.  BTW - I'm a former Goldwing (2004), K1600GTL (2012) and K1200LT (2009).  This is an interesting discussion.

Eric

[MMRanch]

To each his/her own ,
but
When I go ridding with my CMAUSA buddies on their Big Harleys and GW's , they don't keep up on the secondary roads ???   
And
It seems like they're not smiling as much at the rest stops ??? 

Fact is I don't see how it could be FUN ridding one of those 2-wheeled cars ?    I  see more Smiles from the three wheelers in the bunch .

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

Fact is I don't see how it could be FUN ridding one of those 2-wheeled cars ?

So...Have you ridden a GL1800?

[Kev m]

To each his/her own ,
but
When I go ridding with my CMAUSA buddies on their Big Harleys and GW's , they don't keep up on the secondary roads ???   
And
It seems like they're not smiling as much at the rest stops ???  [emoji23]

Fact is I don't see how it could be FUN ridding one of those 2-wheeled cars ?    I  see more Smiles from the three wheelers in the bunch .

Maybe you just ride with Grumpy Cats....


Never had a problem keeping up or smiling on my big Harley touring mounts. But then again never found the K- or R-bike touring mounts to be particularly motivating.

[John Ulrich]

When I go ridding with my CMAUSA buddies on their Big Harleys and GW's , they don't keep up on the secondary roads ???   

Here's a video of Yellow Wolf on the Dragon.  Someone with skill can make a cow dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37XLJNLpzxQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxHNnOHuikI

[twowheeladdict]

To each his/her own ,
but
When I go ridding with my CMAUSA buddies on their Big Harleys and GW's , they don't keep up on the secondary roads ???   
And
It seems like they're not smiling as much at the rest stops ??? 

Fact is I don't see how it could be FUN ridding one of those 2-wheeled cars ?    I  see more Smiles from the three wheelers in the bunch .

It does take more skill and more balls to ride those big bikes fast.  Not much room for error like you have on the sport bikes where you can just lean it over further if you find yourself entering a turn a little too fast.

Conversely, a sport bike is boring when riding at or just above the speed limit unless you are looking at the sights.

[MMRanch]

John

Looks like Honda is going to sell a lot of them , its got character !

I believe that "Yellow Wolf" feller could keep up just fine !   
Could be the GW riders I've been ridding with are afraid of their bikes instead of working with their machines ?   
One of my brothers had a Wing , and the power was nice.   Everything was fine about it , till I dipped it into the first curve and started scraping stuff.    I know the newer ones are shaped like Sport Bikes on the bottom and some folks know how to handle them , but I see more folks that are afraid of them than I do Folks who ride like that Yellow Wolf feller.   

To each his/her own !   

Personally , the older I get --- The Lighter Bike I want .   
   

[MMRanch]

  Conversely, a sport bike is boring when riding at or just above the speed limit unless you are looking at the sights. 

Yea , one of my other brothers got rid of his Triumph Sport bike for a Old Harley Sportster Chopper , just so he'd slow down !

I Guess its hard to keep 100 Horse's in the corral all the time ... especially when they are wanting to get out and run !   

----------------------------------------------------
  Maybe you just ride with Grumpy Cats.... 

I'm hope the Guzzi bunch is more prone to a "High Spirited" ride once in a while   

[twowheeladdict]

  Conversely, a sport bike is boring when riding at or just above the speed limit unless you are looking at the sights. 

Yea , one of my other brothers got rid of his Triumph Sport bike for a Old Harley Sportster Chopper , just so he'd slow down !

I Guess its hard to keep 100 Horse's in the corral all the time ... especially when they are wanting to get out and run !   

----------------------------------------------------
  Maybe you just ride with Grumpy Cats.... 

I'm hope the Guzzi bunch is more prone to a "High Spirited" ride once in a while   

Yep, my Concours 1400 had me close to bike impounding and going to jail a time a or two.  The bad part is that I didn't even realize I was going 100 because it felt like 60. 

[MMRanch]

I've developed a habbit of :

Don't slow down for the curves
and
Don't speed up on the straits .
Just ride the speed limit --- plus a little ! 

Keeps me out of trouble.
 

[PeteS]

Yellow Wolf I am sure has done Deals Gap over 1000 times. He once rode it for 24 hours. He is an ex club racer and used to film other riders from behind. Never met him but expect few ever got too far from the camera.
One of Reg Pridmore's instructors would ride his 1800 Goldwing from California to the eastern tracks. He would always do a few sessions on the Wing before returning to the CLASS VFRs. Not many students could keep up with him including a friend on his Hyabusa. My friend has since gotten a lot better.
Fred is standing in the far back on the left in leather's that match Reg's standing in front.The rest are are all local friends.




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Pete